"Excuse me." Walking into Jiang Hai's villa, Wallis Kirk greeted him with a smile.
"It's okay, I must have disturbed you." Hearing Wallis Kirk's words, Jiang Hai smiled and casually waved his hand.
"Beer or coffee?" Jiang Hai asked as he walked to the refrigerator. The three guests had sat down, and he was eager to offer them something.
"Coffee is fine. We have some things to take care of later." The three exchanged glances before responding.
Jiang Hai pulled out three cans of coffee from the refrigerator, placed them in the nearby machine to heat them up, and then brought them to the guests. He sat down across from them. Of the three people, Jiang Hai was already familiar with two.
The elderly man sitting in the center was none other than Wallis Kirk, the mayor of Winthrop.
To his right, there were two men in police uniforms. The one sitting on the left was Morris Smith, also an older man, and the current head of the Winthrop Police Department.
Jiang Hai had known Morris for a long time. He had first met him when he was attacked by a gang in Winthrop, and when the Winthrop Police Department was embroiled in a scandal. Morris had come to Jiang Hai for help, and together they had resolved the issue privately.
The third person was younger, looking to be around 30 years old. He had recently graduated from the police academy. Jiang Hai didn't ask why he was here, but speculated that if he wasn't Wallis Kirk's or Morris Smith's nephew, he must be someone with influence. However, Jiang Hai didn't care much about these connections—he wasn't afraid of anyone wielding power at this point.
"Mr. Jiang, this situation might be a bit tricky." After sipping his coffee, Wallis Kirk glanced at Jiang Hai, speaking with hesitation. It was now the afternoon, and those troublemakers had caused a disturbance at Jiang Hai's home earlier that day.
After the police arrested them, they asked many questions. This was why Mayor Wallis Kirk had come to explain the situation to Jiang Hai.
"What? The other party is very powerful?" Jiang Hai was taken aback. Could it be that those people were more than just petty criminals?
Wallis Kirk looked at Morris Smith, silently signaling him to explain. Morris pulled out a small notebook and began to address Jiang Hai: "No, they're just mediocre individuals. From what they told us, they're low-level players in the South District of Boston. Their boss is Billy Valen. We confirmed with Boston that he's nothing more than a small-time criminal."
Morris paused, then continued: "Billy Valen actually seems to have some connections with you, Mr. Jiang. We looked into him, and while he's not much, his involvement with you is significant."
Morris explained further. According to what they had learned, Billy Valen was just a minor figure. There were various ties to Jiang Hai: first, when Jiang Hai was initially attacked, two people were involved—Faraday Wilson and Bunian Valen. Bunian was Billy Valen's younger brother, but he lacked the ability to make trouble for Jiang Hai at the time.
Second, when Jiang Hai saved Darlene and the others, the man who controlled them was Billy Valen's former boss. Jiang Hai's interference had cost the man significantly, and later, while attempting to escape to Europe, he was killed shortly after leaving the country. During the power vacuum that followed, Billy Valen used money from an unknown source to organize a group of people.
The second time Jiang Hai was attacked, which had been his most dangerous encounter, it seemed to have connections to Billy Valen. However, when Billy Valen realized Jiang Hai wasn't someone to be easily dealt with, he went into hiding. Now, it seemed he had resurfaced and was targeting Jiang Hai's manor.
Though the attack had been intended as a threat, there was no real breach of Jiang Hai's territory, nor was there a substantial danger. The other group had even employed a lawyer, but none of their claims could lead to a lawsuit. The best outcome, it seemed, was that Jiang Hai's retaliation had been in vain, and the culprits would simply be released after 48 hours.
"I don't understand. If they're plotting against me, why can't we arrest them?" Jiang Hai frowned at Morris Smith. It wasn't about fearing thieves; it was about preventing them from getting ideas. Knowing others were plotting against him made Jiang Hai uncomfortable.
"We can only arrest someone once a crime has occurred and we have sufficient evidence. They've only expressed intentions, so all we can do is monitor them. I've come here to inform you that we'll increase your protection. We'll have two police cars stationed outside your place, and there will be 24-hour patrols. This is Doyle George, the main officer in charge of your defense. You can reach out to him if you need anything. It's best if you stay at home for the next few days." Morris Smith explained, shaking his head helplessly. He too would have preferred to make an arrest, as pleasing Jiang Hai would benefit both parties. But the law was clear. Despite the power of the wealthy in the United States, the police were still the guardians of the law, and Jiang Hai was entitled to this level of protection.
The young officer, Doyle George, gave a nod to Jiang Hai. Unlike Wallis Kirk and Morris Smith, who were practically groveling in their eagerness to please him, Doyle's attitude was more natural, something Jiang Hai found refreshing.
"Then I'll trouble you," Jiang Hai said, nodding toward Morris Smith.
"By the way," Morris continued, "aside from the police, the other party might have managed to infiltrate here somehow. If they try to attack forcefully, it could become a problem. If you need, the police station can lend you some equipment." He paused thoughtfully before continuing. "Though guns are legal in the U.S., civilians can only purchase semi-automatic weapons. If they want automatic weapons, they either need a special license or must go through sources like the black market or police stations. To make sure you're well-prepared, we can lend you some gear."
Jiang Hai frowned at the suggestion. It was clear that Morris Smith was offering this to make Jiang Hai feel secure, but the reality was, there might indeed be an attack on his manor.
"There are so many desperate people in the U.S.," Jiang Hai muttered under his breath. He had always preferred to avoid trouble, but if things kept escalating in the U.S., he might need to consider relocating. However, for now, he needed to focus on preventing any potential attacks.
Mayor Wallis Kirk sighed, replying, "The government has been trying to ban guns for years, but when the U.S. was founded, the right to bear arms helped secure the consent of the people. It's difficult to abolish that now."
Jiang Hai shrugged in response. "I understand, but not banning guns has also helped attract international tourists, like those from China, who are eager to experience firearms. It's a part of the appeal."
With that, Jiang Hai called Bell Lester. In comparison to farming, Bell Lester was much more experienced when it came to handling matters like these.
Bell seemed excited when he heard someone might target Jiang Hai's manor. Both Wallis Kirk and Morris Smith knew what Bell had done in the past, and his presence reassured them.
After a brief discussion, Bell inventoried the weapons at the manor. While they were decent, they wouldn't be considered excessive, and it made sense to "borrow" additional equipment from the police.
Once they had everything planned out, Jiang Hai, accompanied by Bell and Chief Morris Smith, drove to the police station to gather the necessary equipment. Along the way, Jiang Hai also called Moses Adams to relay some tasks to him. Since he had used his wealth to resolve the Miami issue previously, Jiang Hai believed that money was the best way to deal with problems like these. However, it was more practical for Moses Adams to handle the situation discreetly.